Fireworks
by a.dale
Summary: Prompt; Person A hates how loud fireworks are. Person B covers Person A's ears while they watch.


Bucky's always loved fireworks. He's loved the way they always seemed to be celebrating for Steve, and how the blonde's eyes would always light up in awe at the show. Even as the soldier, even when he couldn't remember why he loved them, when he was sent out for a job and fireworks ended up being on display, he'd always pause to watch, feeling a warmth he hadn't been able to identify but one he chased.

Now he was Bucky again, and it was the fourth of July, and the first time he'd be seeing fireworks again as himself, and not just as himself, but with Steve, just like before, just like when they were kids. But something was off – and despite how long they'd been separated, Bucky still knew Steve better than he knew himself – especially now that he hardly knew himself at all – and he knew something was wrong. It had started when Stark had informed them all that fireworks would be starting at 10pm and they were all required on the roof. Bucky still hadn't decided how he felt about Stark – on one hand, the guy was an asshole and Bucky wanted to punch him with his metal hand – but on the other, Bucky could see that despite his huge ego the guy actually really cared about all of his friends he just had a crap way of showing it. At the announcement though, Steve had gotten all tight around the eyes, and Bucky just _knew_ it meant something was wrong. Nobody else seemed to notice it, which meant that maybe this reaction was uncommon these days, but common or not, Bucky knew what it meant. So he waited until they were alone – waited until it was just him and Steve in the art room Tony had put together for him to start digging.

"Did Stark do something illegal again?" he asked, and Steve looked up with a laugh, eyes crinkled now with a smile instead of tight with anxiety.

"Probably, but nothing I know of. What made you ask that, Buck?" Bucky just shrugged, not wanting to give himself away just yet.

"Just figured with the fireworks and all – they can't really want Stark setting off his own show." and there it was, the tightness around his eyes again, but if Stark wasn't doing something illegal, then what could it be?

"Nah, Buck, s'not illegal." Bucky just nodded, not quite sure what to say next, not with Steve looking even more anxious than before.

"We're going, aren't we Stevie?" it was as if Steve's expression melted at the sound of the old nickname, and he nodded.

"Course we are. I remember how much you love fireworks." Steve said, but even as he said it, the tightness around his eyes came back leaving Bucky at a loss. Unable to pursue the line of questioning any further without drawing suspicion, Bucky moved over to see what Steve was drawing.

"You ever going to get tired of drawing me?" he ended up asking, and this time when Steve looked up at him there was nothing but happiness and a faint blush across his cheeks.

"Never."

Fireworks were supposed to start in an hour and Bucky couldn't find Steve anywhere. He'd gone to the shooting range with Clint to practice for a bit but when he'd returned Steve hadn't been anywhere.

"Jarvis – you seen Steve?"

"Captain Rogers was last seen leaving the building fifteen minutes ago, heading east. Would you like me to contact him for you sergeant Barnes?"

"No thanks, Jarvis. I'll find him on my own." then he paused, looking up at the ceiling. Jarvis unnerved him sometimes but that didn't mean he wasn't useful. "Hey, Jarvis? Have you noticed anything unusual about Steve lately?" there was a pause as the AI undoubtedly went through it's recorded data from the last few days.

"It would seem Captain Rogers has been feeling higher levels of anxiety over the last 3 days, though the source is unclear. Should I alert the others?"

"Nah, I've got it covered. Just wanted to make sure I wasn't the only one seeing it. Thanks Jarvis."

"Of course, sir. I am to remind you to return to the tower within the hour in order to partake in the celebration on the roof."

"Will do." Bucky said with a wave, heading out the door. He needed to find Steve and stat.

It didn't take him long to find the blonde considering his tall frame and broad shoulders could no longer easily be hidden, and Bucky just slid into the chair opposite him at the small cafe table, watching as Steve huffed out a breath before he set down his pencil and looked up.

"What's up, Buck?"

"Fireworks are going to start soon." he reminded, and this time when Steve's eyes tightened with that same anxiety, Bucky began to realize just what might be wrong. "We should head back if we don't want to miss them." Steve nodded, packing his stuff away though it was with resignation, but when Bucky grabbed his hand to all but drag him back to the tower he managed a smile at his best friend's enthusiasm. Bucky lead him through the tower, first to the floor they shared together and then to Steve's bedroom – their bedroom if Steve was honest since Bucky always nightmared when he tried to sleep alone down the hall – so he could drop off his art supplies before dragging him off to the room where everyone else was already waiting. Bucky almost immediately swung up to sit on the half wall that separated the garden part of the roof from the landing pad part, and Steve moved to lean next to him, moving in front of Bucky with a fond smile when Bucky tugged him closer. He ended up leaning against the wall between Bucky's knees, Bucky leaning forward so that he could rest his arms on Steve's shoulders. Clint landed beside them from out of nowhere and both gave him a nod in greeting, watching the smile spread across the archer's face.

"Either of you ever seen one of Stark's light shows?"

"Not this Stark, no." was Bucky's answer, and Steve just nodded. Though he couldn't see Steve's face, Bucky could feel the tension radiating off of him now and he fought the frown that wanted to appear on his face, not wanting to alert Barton to the problem.

"Well you're in for a treat – Stark's always got the biggest, brightest, and loudest firework show in all of New York." Clint announced with a grin, and though Bucky returned it, Steve's own returning smile was lacking it's usual vibrancy.

The moment the first firework went off Steve went absolutely still but in Bucky's eyes the blonde might as well have dived for cover. Even as the boom sounded, colours burning through the sky, Bucky realized what was wrong, and without any hesitation he reached forward, palms covering Steve's ears gently, blocking out as much of the sound as he could. Steve's whole body jolted in surprise at the action, but he didn't pull away, instead leaning further into Bucky, hands giving Bucky's calves a small squeeze of thanks. Bucky didn't say a word, didn't have to, he just hooked his ankles together in front of Steve's torso, keeping the other man close and grinned when Steve shot an amused glance over his shoulder. He thought Steve was an idiot for not saying anything about how the noise bothered him, but hey, he wasn't going to complain when it kept them this close together, and it settled something in Bucky to be able to protect Steve, even if it was just from the noise of fireworks. Content, he turned his attention back to the fireworks, and basked in their glow.


End file.
